The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-02-26

gard Of the generalship necessar
to the success of any party organ
ization. The democratic party ha
the best political soldiers in tn
world. The leaders look we'll afte
the rank and file, and, as genera
rule, there is no contention agains
the party mandate, no matter wha
it is. This is at it should be. NJ
party can live without obedience Il
its behests, and without a hearty
union of its forces upon all ques
tions of party policy"
"Then you do not believe in tht
present idea of political independ
ence?"
mot ut all. The only independ
ence there can be of any value is by
action inside the organization, and
then obedience to its decree. Nc
party can long succeed whose mem.
bers set up their individual judg-
ments against the popular voice
and no man has ever yet been found
strong enough, from the president
down, to disregard his party's be-
hests and long succeed"
How about the present execu-
tive?"
1t is not necessary to make
these observations personal. The
general rule of which | speak is alb
sOlute. | imagine that
THE PRESENT EXECUTIVE
Is a much stronger man than he
gets credit for, but neither he nor
any other / ever saw is strong
enough TO neglect the forceful ele-
ment Of his party and win. Men
who, in any political affair, depend
upon discontented recruits from
another party are sure to be disap-
pointed in the end, for men who
straggle from the ranks, either in
war or peace, have no standing in
either organization and are unreli-
able in their action, and conse
quently without power"
"Can civil service succeed?"
"Civil service in a government like
this is not practical. A life tenure
in a civil office means a civil pension
list, just as life service in the
army means military pension list.
Then, again, it is not good thing
in republic to grow a large life
ofiice-holding class. We need new
blood occasionally in the control
of the business affairs of the nation.
as well as in all other material con
Germs. This civil service law will
never be fairly administered by
either party, and, therefore both
parties are better off without it.
Just at present there seems to be
no important controversy between
the two parties, except the offices,
although there should be. That
being the case, the party which
succeeds is bound to put its own
into prominence,
and administer the policy laid down
by its success"
"What questions suggest them
selves to you as ones upon which
our statesmen might try their
hand?"
1--WE need a better foreign policy
not an aggressive one,
but just one. We need stronger
relations with other
countries, especially with Mexico
and South America. We have been
trading with ourselves all our lives
and our own growth has been suiIi-
cient to keep us busy; but we are
overproducing from the soil, as
well as the factories, and we want
new markets, not at the cost of
to protect our American
but to assist them. The
nearest approach to question be-
tween the two parties has been and
is the tariff, and thereon the demo
Gratis are considerably more divided
than the republicans. They are not
strong enough to make fair trade
issue against the republican doctrine
Of protection and will not do So"
"What of the
FUTURE OF THE PARTIEsW
"That is hard to say. / have not
lost faith in the power and purpose
Of the republican organization. 1t
has made many mistakes, and none
greater than within the last few
years; but it has great history and
recuperative powers. If
it should cease running after here
sizes, and arrange itself under bold
and energetic leadership, it will
win the next election, but these are
requisites for success. The Amer
lean people are courageous men.
They want something practical.
The theoretical may do for the
but the great heart OF
the people can only be warmed to
that means reward. The
rank and file of either party wants
10 see the offices filled by its MEM
bers when it wins, and the village
postmaster is to them as significant
!. badge of triumph as the presi-
1ency." Il
"Where do we find an example?"